sunburn

verb

sun·burn | \ ˈsən-ˌbərn

sunburned\ˈsən-ˌbərnd

\ or sunburnt\ˈsən-ˌbərnt

\; sunburning

Definition of sunburn

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

: to burn or discolor by the sun

intransitive verb

: to become sunburned

sunburn

noun

Definition of sunburn (Entry 2 of 2)

: inflammation of the skin caused by overexposure to ultraviolet radiation especially from sunlight

Examples of sunburn in a Sentence

Noun

He has a bad sunburn. Use sunscreen to prevent sunburn.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Cindie Allen-Stewart, of Mount Calm, shared her decades-old family secret on Facebook hoping to help some friends who, like her, are prone to sunburn despite using sunscreen. — Jennifer Earl, Fox News, "Texas mom's viral sunburn hack works, but it's not 'magical cure,' dermatologists warn," 3 July 2018 The child’s head, sunburned under the blond velvet, rested on the woman’s strong arm. — Lauren Groff, The New Yorker, "Under the Wave," 9 July 2017 If Tuohy were running barefoot, the bottom of her feet might be sunburned by the end of a long race. — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, "America’s Next Great Running Hope, and One of the Cruelest Twists in Youth Sports," 8 June 2018 And now, aloe and hopefully goodbye to sunburn pain. — Amy Bartner, Indianapolis Star, "Sunburns: Race weekend's top lobsters," 29 May 2018 After about six hours of sun exposure, 110 participants were sunburned on their SPF 50 side, and ten were sunburned on the SPF 100 side. — Ashley Weatherford, The Cut, "Why Your Sunscreen Should Be SPF 100," 24 May 2018 Applying sunscreen to the entire area predisposed to sunburn is strongly recommended. — Patty Khuly, miamiherald, "In summer, your light-skinned dogs need nontoxic sunscreen | Miami Herald," 3 May 2018 Expert fix: Though aloe has always been the go-to sunburn soother because of its ability to cool skin and take down redness, Dhaval G. Bhanusali, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City thinks hyaluronic acid is even more effective. — Nicole Catanese, Cosmopolitan, "The 8 Most Annoying Skin Problems Every Girl Deals With," 24 Aug. 2017 So what's a girl (or guy) to do when faced with the dilemma of choosing a quick getaway in the months usually affiliated with debauchery, floating cocktails, and sunburns even worse than the all-day hangover? — Marie Claire, "Cancun: Not Just a Spring Break Destination," 5 May 2010

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Aspirin is still the best anti-inflammatory for sunburns. — Betsy Cribb, ajc, "The best way to heal a sunburn, according to a dermatologist," 1 July 2018 One biggie is photokeratitis, which is like a sunburn of the eye. — Amanda Gardner, Health.com, "Why Those Tiny Sunglasses Celebs Love Aren't Actually Good for Your Eyes," 13 June 2018 The Skin Cancer Foundation says that having five or more blistering sunburns throughout your life more than doubles your odds of developing melanoma. — Linda Searing, Washington Post, "The Big Number: Skin cancers kill a lot of people, and sunscreen is vital," 2 June 2018 The chances of getting a blistering sunburn in the middle of winter are slim, there's no denying that. — Jenna Rosenstein, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Case For Wearing Sunscreen Every Single Day," 4 Dec. 2017 Sunscreen makers opposed the Hawaiian bill, as did some dermatologists, who worry about sunburns and skin cancer. — Peter Fimrite, SFChronicle.com, "Hawaii to ban sunscreen that damages coral," 7 July 2018 The sun can actually penetrate fabric, leaving the person underneath with a sunburn or blistering. — Katie Parsons, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Fitness tips for Florida summer workouts," 19 June 2018 Those rays mainly cause sunburn, while UVA rays penetrate more deeply into the skin. — Nanette Asimov, SFChronicle.com, "With Hawaii banning harmful sunscreens, what’s a responsible tourist to do?," 7 July 2018 Keeping dogs out of the sun isn't just important in avoiding sunburns, but also avoiding heat stroke (exacerbated by fur) and keeping paws safe. — Southern Living, "Here's How To Prevent Your Dog From Getting A Sunburn," 22 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sunburn.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.